HASLETT, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – With America’s 250th birthday just eight days away, a new song from conservative Michigan radio host and Real America’s Voice television personality Steve Gruber and Haslett worship pastor Laura Cokonougher delivers a message that has become increasingly uncommon in modern culture: gratitude for the country itself.
Released today through Real America’s Voice’s music label, Real America’s Music, “One Nation” blends prayer, patriotism and the Pledge of Allegiance into a tribute to the United States ahead of the nation’s Semiquincentennial celebration.
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For Cokonougher, the song’s message wasn’t controversial. It was personal.
“I want people to feel the patriotism coming out of the song and be proud of their country and what this country was built on, which is the foundation of the gospel,” she told Michigan News Source. “I want them to be thankful for the freedom that they have in this country.”
How One Nation came together.
The project itself came together somewhat unexpectedly.
Gruber told Michigan News Source that the song’s roots trace back to a recording he made roughly two decades ago for one of his television programs. Earlier this year, while speaking with representatives from Real America’s Voice in Washington, D.C., he learned the network was interested in producing a patriotic song tied to America’s upcoming 250th birthday celebration and they wanted to see what else he could come up with after listening to his past recording. One thing led to another and Gruber soon found himself looking for help to transform his One Nation concept into a full production.
That led him to Cokonougher, a pastor and worship leader at House of Prayer in Haslett, where Gruber and his wife, Ivey, attend church. Cokonougher recalled, “Steve came up to me one day and said, ‘Do you think you could write a song with us?’”
He wanted it to be named One Nation. Cokonougher added, “He told me specific things he wanted in the song.” The collaboration came together quickly. “So we started writing the song together and next thing you know, we came up with One Nation,” she said.
For Gruber, the goal extended beyond creating a patriotic song for Independence Day festivities. He said he wanted to create something that would help remind Americans of the principles that have sustained the country through generations.
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According to Gruber, too many Americans – particularly younger generations – have lost sight of what makes the United States unique. He hopes the song encourages listeners to reconnect with the nation’s history, freedoms and enduring spirit.
A blend of prayer and patriotism
Gruber contributed ideas and drums to the finished project while his wife, Ivey Gruber, joined the background vocals. Cokonougher handled lead vocals, piano and guitar.
The finished track opens with a prayer asking God’s protection over the United States before moving into themes of sacrifice, gratitude and perseverance. It honors the generations of Americans who came before while emphasizing that the nation’s story is still being written.
Looking to the founders for inspiration.
One of Ivey Gruber’s favorite lyrics in the song comes from a passage adapted from George Washington’s prayer for the young nation: “Cultivate the hearts of the people, to unite in the faith. And form a bond of brotherly love, to what no man could ever break.” She told Michigan News Source that America’s founders understood that even when they disagreed, they believed the country could only survive if its people remained united. She noted that both George Washington and Benjamin Franklin emphasized seeking God’s guidance during the nation’s founding, while later, Abraham Lincoln warned that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Ivey said she hopes the song does more than entertain. She wants it to remind people that Americans have far more in common than what divides them. She said “My prayer is that this project honors God, brings people together, and reminds us that despite our differences, we are one nation under God.”
Passing patriotism to the next generation.
At the heart of the song is a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by Steve Gruber and a five-year-old girl named Bella. The pledge culminates with the words “One Nation Under God,” which also serves as the song’s central refrain, underscoring its message of faith, patriotism and national unity.
Gruber said Bella’s participation was intentional. He wanted a child’s voice to symbolize passing America’s traditions and love of country to the next generation. While acknowledging that the nation is not perfect, he said the pledge segment represents hope for the future and a commitment to ensuring that future generations understand and appreciate the opportunities America provides.
Faith, freedom and gratitude.
Asked which part of the song means the most to her, Cokonougher didn’t hesitate.
“I love ‘One Nation Under God, may we always be,'” she said. “I believe America was founded as a Christian nation. It was founded on the gospel.”
Cokonougher, who grew up in the church founded by her grandfather and learned music largely by ear, said she hopes listeners walk away with a renewed appreciation for blessings many Americans take for granted.
“I’ve traveled, and I’m telling you, there is no place like America,” she said. “We are rich compared to everybody else and that’s just God’s blessing on our nation.”
Those comments echo the theme that runs throughout the song itself. While much of today’s popular culture focuses on America’s shortcomings, One Nation intentionally focuses on gratitude, faith and national pride.
Cokonougher said she never worried about releasing a song that openly embraces both God and country. “I love God. I love our nation,” she said. “It doesn’t bother me a bit to put the song out there because I want this song to be a light and a witness to people.”
The song is available here through major streaming platforms. More of Cokonougher’s music can be found through Laura Lynn Ministries.
